Pole support base, and display including it

ABSTRACT

A BASE FOR SUPPORTING A HOLLOW POLE INCLUDES THREE L-SHAPED FEET, EACH FOOT HAVING A HOLE AND A PROJECTING TAB. THE VERTICAL LEGS OF THE FEET ARE ARRANGED IN A TRIANGULAR CONFIGURATION, FOR ENGAGING A POLE, WITH THE TAB OF EACH FOOT LOCATED IN THE HOLE OF ANOTHER, AND THE HORIZONTAL LEGS PROJECTING RADIALLY OUTWARDLY AND ARRANGED 120* TO ONE ANOTHER. THE LEGS OF EACH FOOT MAY BE IN-   TEGRALLY FORMED, OR MAY COMPRISE TWO PIECES PIVOTALLY CONNECTED. IN THE LATTER CASE, EACH FOOT WITH ITS LEGS ALIGNED CAN BE PACKED WITHIN THE POLE IT WILL ULTIMATELY SUPPORT.

Jan. 12, 1971 BENQHLEY, JR 3,553,871

POLE SUPPORT BASE, AND DISPLAY INCLUDING IT Filed July 16, 1969 2Sheets-Sheet 1 :7 S R a a y w w w 5 a w Q w M if 7 a m. N E x a .N K 4 W1 3 w: 0 a W L H Mm 2 M M I 1 onHH /wv my :a m/ I F 5 R, BENCHLEY, JR

POLE SUPPORT BASE; AND DISPLAY INCLUDING IT Filed July 16, 1969 Jan 12,1971 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. R0551 azwr/azy, JR.

ATTORNEYS United States Patent York Filed July 16, 1969, Ser. No.842,137 Int. Cl. G09f 7/18 U.S. Cl. 40-145 11 Claims ABSTRACT OF THEDISCLOSURE A base for supporting a hollow pole includes three L-shapedfeet, each foot having a hole and a projecting tab. The vertical legs ofthe feet are arranged in a triangular configuration, for engaging apole, with the tab of each foot located in the hole of another, and thehorizontal legs projecting radially outwardly and arranged 120 to oneanother. The legs of each foot may be integrally formed, or may comprisetwo pieces pivotally connected. In the latter case, each foot with itslegs aligned can be packed within the pole it will ultimately support.

This invention relates to so-called pole displays of the type wherein ahollow pole is supported in upright condition by a base, and carriesadvertising and display material at its upper end. In particular, theinvention relates to a base for supporting such a pole, and to a poledisplay assembly including the base.

It is an object of the invention to provide a pole base formed ofindividual interlocking feet which can be produced rapidly andinexpensively on a mass production basis, and yet which give more rigidsupport than conventional bases.

It is another object of the invention to provide a base comprisingindividual feet adjustable between a collapsed condition and anoperative condition, whereby the feet when collapsed can be packedinside the pole they will ultimately support.

Furthermore, it is contemplated that all the other components of thedisplay may also be packed within the pole, the ends of which are closedby caps. In this way, the display device is reduced to a very compactform, desirable from the points of view of shipment and storage, andinvolves very little waste of material at the time the display iserected.

Additional features and advantages of the invention will be apparentfrom the following description in which reference is made to theaccompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a pole display embodying the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is a horizontal cross-sectional view, on an enlarged scale, takenalong line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken along line 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an elevational view of one of the feet forming the base of thedisplay in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 2, but showing an alternativeembodiment of the base feet;

FIG. 6 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken on line 6-6 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is an elevational view of one of the feet forming the baseillustrated in FIG. 5, in its operative condition;

FIG. 8 shows the foot of FIG. 7 in its collapsed condition; and

FIG. 9 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view through the pole displayof FIG. 1 but in condition for shipment.

The term pole display as used herein is intended to 3,553,371 PatentedJan. 12, 1971 encompass any type of display, whether for advertisingpurposes or other uses, including a hollow pole which when the displayis erected is maintained in a vertical condition and supports displaymaterial.

The display chosen to illustrate the present invention, and shown inFIG. 1, includes a hollow pole 10, which may be a thick-walled papertube, supported in upright condition by a base 11. In the presentexample, the pole 10 houses within its upper end a battery operatedmotor, the shaft 12 of which projects upwardly out of the pole. A hub 13is fixed to the motor shaft, and a transverse hole through the hubaccommodates a horizontal rod 14. Display members 15, in the form ofpennants, are carried by the rod 14, and when the motor is energized therod and pennants rotate about the longitudinal axis of the pole.

The base 11 comprises three feet 18 (FIG. 4) each of which is L-shapedto define a horizontal leg 19 and a vertical leg 20. The descriptiveterm horizontal and vertical are used for convenience, and refer to theorientation of these legs when in pole-supporting position. Each foot 18is identical to the others, and the feet are preferably formed fromsheet metal by a stamping operation. However, other suitable materialsand fabrication methods may obviously be employed.

An integral tab 21 projects horizontally from the edge 22 of verticalleg 20 remote from the horizontal leg 19, and an opening 23 is providedin horizontal leg 19 in the region where it merges with the vertical leg20, i.e., hole 23 is spaced from edge 22 a distance about equal to thewidth of vertical leg 20. The tab 21 and opening 23 are in horizontalalignment, and the opening in each foot is adapted to accommodate thetab of one of the other feet.

The three feet 18 forming the base 11 are assembled, as shown in FIGS. 2and 3, by arranging the vertical legs 20 in a triangular cross-sectionalconfiguration with the tab 21 of each foot located within the opening 23of an adjacent foot. Engagement of the tabs and openings serve tointerlock the feet and insure their stability. The width of verticallegs 20, and the location of openings 23, are such that the triangulararrangement of legs 20 is snugly accommodated within the lower end ofpole 10. The arrangement is such that the apices of the triangularconfiguration lie on a circle whose diameter is at least equal to, andpreferably slightly larger than, the internal diameter of the pole 10.As a result, when the pole is pushed down over the legs 20, the materialadjacent to its interior face is compressed slightly so that it gripsthe legs 20 tightly. It will be appreciated, therefore, that the threefeet 18 constitute a simple, yet very sturdy, base for the pole.

FIGS. 58 illustrate an alternative base according to this invention,each foot 18 of which may be provided in a collapsed condition. Foot 18'comprises two, preferably sheet metal, members 19' and 20 defininghorizontal and vertical legs, respectively, when the foot is inoperative condition. The members 19' and 20 are pivotally joined by arivet 26. Horizontal leg member 19' is formed with a horizontallyextending tab 21' and an opening 23, similar to the tab 21 and opening23 of FIGS. 24. Vertical leg member 20' is formed with a suspension hole25 near its free end.

Vertical leg member 20 is provided adjacent to one longitudinal edgewith an L-shaped cut, and the material adjoining the cut is bentslightly out of the plane of member 20' to define a stop 27. When foot18' is in collapsed conditions (FIG. 8) with the leg members 19' and 20in longitudinal alignment, the end portion of the upper edge 28 ofhorizontal leg 19 abuts the side of stop 27. The foot is shifted tooperative condition by rotating leg member 20', in the direction of thearrow in FIG. 8, with respect to leg member 19 about rivet 26. Thisrotation continues until the end of stop 27 abuts the upper edge of leg19", as shown in FIG. 7.

Adjacent to its other longitudinal edge, vertical leg 20 may be providedwith an arcuate cut, and the material adjoining the cut is bent slightlyout of the plane of member 20' to define a latch 29. The curved natureof the latch 29 permits it to pass between the legs 19' and 20', bycamming leg 19' away from leg 20 as the leg 20 is rotated in thedirection of the arrow in FIG. 8. However, when the parts reach theiroperative condition (FIG. 7), latch 29 snaps over the edge 28 of leg 19'and prevents return of the legs to their collapsed condition. Once inits operative condition, foot 18' is used in precisely the same manneras foot 18 of FIGS. 24, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6.

Provision of a base comprising collapsible feet as illustrated in FIGS.58 permits a complete pole display to be packed Within the pole formingpart of the display, as shown in FIG. 9. The hollow pole 10 is closed atits ends by cylindrical caps '32 and 33. Feet 18' when in the collapsedcondition of FIG. 8 can be accommodated within the pole. The feet aresuspended at one end of pole 10 from a pin 34 passing through holes 25in leg members 20'. The pin 34 is slightly longer than the internaldiameter of the pole so that its ends rest on the end edge of the pole.It should be mentioned that although in FIG. 9 the feet 18 are shown atthe lower end of the pole 10, the package has no top or bottom, andhence as it is carried or stored either end of the pole may be on top.Thus, when cap 33 is on top, the feet 18' are suspended from pin 34. Inthe orientation shown in FIG. 9, the lower ends of legs 20 rest upon theend wall 35 of cap 33. Also resting on the end wall 35 is the hub 13which is packed loosely within the pole.

Assuming the display is to be one with moving parts, as described withreference to FIG. 1, an electric motor 36 and batteries 37 for operatingit are located within the pole at its end opposite feet 18'. The motorcasing is formed With ears 38 resting on the end edge of the pole, and aspacer ring 39 within cap 32 presses upon the ears 38 so that the motor36 is held against longitudinal movement within the package. A pair ofstraps 40 are riveted at their upper ends to the lower faces of cars 38,and at their lower ends to a tube 41, having a closed bottom end (notshown), which houses the batteries 37. A removable insulator 42 betweenthe terminals of the motor 36 and the upper battery keeps the circuitopen while the display is packed.

The rod 14 and pennants 15, in rolled condition, are also accommodatedwithin the tube 10.

If it is desired that the height of the display exceed the length oftube 10, a second pole (not shown) of smaller diameter may betelescopically arranged within tube 10, together with some means formaintaining the two telescoping pole sections in extended relationshipwhen the display is erected. Furthermore, although in the presentexample the base is shown and described as having three legs, four ormore legs can be used and assembled in the same manner as describedabove. In such a case, it is desirable, to prevent collapse of the legs,to place an insert in the closed area delimited by the joined portionsof the legs (this area being of square shape when four legs are used)corresponding to the triangular area shown in FIG. 2.

It will be apparent that the packed display of FIG. 9 may be erected asthe display of FIG. 1 simply by removing the end caps 32 and 33,shifting the feet 18 to the operative condition of FIG. 7, assemblingone end of the pole 10 with the feet, assembling the hub 13, rod 14, andpennants with the motor shaft 12, and removing insulator 42. Only theend caps 32 and 33, pin 34, and insulator 42 are waste materials whichare discarded.

The invention has been shown and described in preferred form only, andby way of example, and it is understood, therefore, that many variationsmay be made in the invention which will still be comprised within itsspirit.

What is claimed is:

1. A base for supporting a hollow pole in upright condition, comprisingthree independent feet, each foot being substantially L-shaped to definea horizontal leg and a vertical leg, a tab located near the heel of saidfoot and projecting horizontally beyond the edge of said vertical legremote from said horizontal leg, and an opening in said horizontal legin the region where it merges with said vertical leg, said vertical legsbeing positionable in a triangular cross-sectional configuration withsaid tab of each foot being located within said opening of the nextsuccessive foot and said horizontal legs projecting radially outwardly,each horizontal leg being arranged at approximately to each of theothers, said triangular configuration being adapted to supportinglyengage the lower end of a hollow pole.

2. A base as defined in claim 1 wherein said three feet are identical toeach other.

3. A base as defined in claim 1 wherein each of said feet is formed ofsheet metal.

4. A base as defined in claim 1 wherein each of said feet is a one piecemember in which said horizontal and vertical legs and said tab are allintegrally formed.

5. A base as defined in claim 1 wherein said horizontal and verticallegs are formed of two separate pieces pivotally joined, whereby saidlegs may optionally be arranged in alignment or in L-shapedconfiguration.

6. A base as defined in claim 5 including a stop member carried by saidvertical leg and adapted to engage the upper edge of said horizontal legto limit pivotal movement between said legs and define their operativeL-shaped relation.

7. A base as defined in claim 6 including a latch member carried by saidvertical leg and adapted to engage the upper edge of said horizontal legat a point on the side of the pivot connection between said legsopposite to the point engaged by said stop member, said latch memberserving to prevent return of said legs to an aligned relation.

8. A pole display comprising a base as defined in claim 5, a hollowpole, the legs of each of said feet comprising said base being arrangedin aligned condition within said pole, and a pair of end caps closingthe ends of said pole.

9. A pole display as defined in claim 8 including means within said polefor suspending said feet at one end of said pole.

10. A pole display as defined in claim 8 including display material incollapsed condition within said pole.

11. A pole display as defined in claim 10 including an electric motorwithin said pole for moving said display means with respect to said polewhen the display is erected.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,180,125 11/1939 Smith 40125H3,002,306 10/1961 Ruff 40125H 3,176,419 4/1965 Stein 40125H 3,206,1509/1965 Lang et a1 248- ROBERT W. MITCHELL, Primary Examiner W. J.CONTRERAS, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 248l65

